High Fidelity
by Girl on the Wing
Summary: [One-shot] “I was just thinking…well, I like this.” Jack glanced up and met her eyes, holding her gaze for a startling few seconds. “This.” He gestured to the two of them, then looked back down quickly, as though afraid of her reaction. JackKate.


**Disclaimer:** JJ Abrams owns all _Lost_-related trademarks.  
**Pairing:** Jack/Kate  
**A/N:** Technically a sequel to "Comic Book Clichés", though it's not necessary to read that before you read this. This picks up where it left off in terms of time line; the two fics together are the natural sequence of events.  
**A/N 2:** Angst and fluff! Who knew I was capable of writing fluff?!  
**A/N 3:** As far as time line goes, this takes place sometime during season one,within their first few months on the island, after the events of "Comic Book Clichés", but not following any certain episode.So, everyone, including Claire and Sayid, are present and accounted for, and there's no cliffhangers as far as we've seen on the show.

**High Fidelity**

The night was lit by the full-featured moon overhead, casting white shadows across the silent beach. Kate's feet dug into the soft grains of sand as she walked, her eyes watching the dark horizon as though she expected to see the blink of a rescue ship gleaming against the blackness. She smiled wryly at her own expectations, though in her heart, she knew she couldn't call them that in good faith.

It seemed her faith was what had gotten her in trouble in the first place.

It made her restless, made her stubborn and scared and able to look Jack squarely in the eye when she left him tending the fire in the caves, exhausted survivors resting around him. He cared for them, she knew, would do anything to help them. That was why he took practicality over faith – Jack was about survival, not about wishes and rescue ships and a thousand things she often thought that if she knew what was good for her, she would be about, too.

Kate shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and looked around the serenity of the shores in the night – the palm trees swayed lazily in the slight breeze that had picked up, accenting the quiet crashing of the waves, a soothing sound accompanying drifts of sleep. Somehow, though, sleep had eluded her the past few nights, and so she took to traveling the beaches by moonlight, breathing in the calm and isolation she would have precious little of during the day.

Whispers of wind seemed to call her name as they sailed across the sand and through the ocean, and Kate felt a chill shiver up her back. She rubbed her arms unconsciously, wishing she had thought to bring a jacket on the flight. The very thought seemed almost funny now, that she would have to plan that far in advance for the predicament they found themselves in now.

It took a moment for Kate to realize that she was not imagining the whispers at all – she turned to see a shadow approaching her, and as it stepped into the moonlight from the forest, she recognized Jack jogging toward her.

Her stomach did a flip at the suddenness of his entrance, his presence being entirely unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome. He smiled at her as he neared.

"Hey," he said, coming up beside her. The streaks of light played off his features, making his eyes shine in the angled shadows created by the moon trailing behind them. Kate returned a small smile, trying to hide any bit of nervousness that may have crept up on her with him. "Hey," she said. Then, she blurted out, "What are you doing here?" The question came out more blunt than she would've liked, but to her relief, Jack simply chuckled and looked down at the sand as they began to walk down the beach.

"Couldn't sleep," he answered, running a hand over his head. "I thought I might as well check on you – on you guys."

Kate's mind jumped sharply at his answer, but she refused to let herself think anything of it. _He meant he was checking on everyone, you idiot. Calm down._ She nodded and looked away as well, studying the sand before she pressed her feet into it with each step. "What about you?" Jack asked, and she could tell from the corner of eye he was looking at her, but she raised her eyes to the stretch of shoreline ahead and said, "Same here." Jack seemed satisfied with this answer and looked down once more. They continued walking in silence, the only sounds the waves rolling up the sand and retreating back into the resting ocean.

After they had been walking for a few moments, Kate felt something touch her hand, and she looked down to see Jack's hand slip into hers, intertwining their fingers together as they walked. Kate's heart refused to be put down anymore and begin to beat wildly, as much her mind tried to quiet it. She nearly pulled away in fear, or perhaps, fear of the curiosity at the back of her mind that became more and more pronounced every day? Still, she allowed herself to relax the slightest bit and glanced up at him, unable to hide the smile tugging on the corner of her mouth that eased into a real one at the smile he gave her. Both looked away quickly when their eyes met, and she thought she felt him grip her hand tighter, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand unconsciously.

Kate took a deep breath, the scent of the sand and night air mixing with the warmth of Jack so close to her. She gazed up at the stars, twinkling spots dotting the cloudless, deep blue of the sky. She wondered briefly what time it was – midnight or three AM, it didn't matter. All they knew was when the sun rose and when it went down. She glanced at Jack, who seemed lost in thought, watching the ground as they walked, and let her mind wander over the shores, getting lost in the breeze drifting through the trees and lifting her hair from her shoulders. She squeezed his hand without realizing it, and looked up quickly to see him turn toward her. He smiled at her, and she gave a half-smile and said, "What are you thinking about?"

Jack looked down, then back at up her, a nervous smile playing on his face. "Nothing, I—"

A sinking feeling her heart made Kate look away. _He doesn't want to tell me._

"I was just thinking…well, I like this." Jack glanced up and met her eyes, holding her gaze for a startling few seconds. "This." He gestured to the two of them, then looked back down quickly, as though afraid of her reaction.

Kate stopped. Jack moved a few steps, when he realized she wasn't moving with him, and turned back to her, their hands still linked. She pulled him toward to her, so they stood face-to-face. Kate examined his features illuminated in the moonlight – his eyes, haunted with responsibility for forty some people's survival instead of just his own, the fading scars on both cheeks, above rough stubble on his tanned cheeks. She reached up and touched his face gently, letting her fingertips brush over his skin, lingering a moment on his lips. Her eyes flicked over his face, until coming to rest on his gaze. She swallowed and said, "I like this too."

The last thing she saw was Jack leaning toward her before she met his lips in a hesitant, barely-there kiss, her mind racing. The softness was almost teasing to Kate; she knew she couldn't keep up being careful for very long. She brushed her lips over his, breathing him in, and when his hands found her waist, her skin electrified where he touched her, she was gone, all thoughts tossed away as the waves crashing behind them. Kate kissed him harder, her hands sliding up his shoulders, and she held onto him as the intensity rocketed through her, trickling up her shoulders. When the need to breathe soon became overwhelming, she broke the kiss, gasping but staying in his arms, and glanced up at him as he watched her, his own breathing ragged.

They were all moonlight and shadows and needing each other, and Kate leaned her forehead against Jack's, so close she could feel every soft tremor of breath through him. She met his eyes, and a small smile spread across his face. Kate found a smile tugging on the corner of her mouth as well, and she tilted her head forward to kiss him gently, her lips closing over his, and his hands roamed her back as they kissed. Kate shivered and tensed involuntarily, that same damn feeling of mistrust that showed up every time someone started to get this close, started to make her stomach flip the way it did when Jack so much as looked her. She knew he felt it, and he pulled away, breaking the kiss as his eyes searched her face, concerned.

"What is it?" he said. _The hell if I know_, she thought, and opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't find the words to describe it in better terms. He shook his head, touching her face gently, his fingertips barely brushing her lips. "Never mind," he whispered. Kate swallowed as ten thousand ways to try and tell him how much she appreciated him, appreciated him accepting the good and the bad, the secrets and the silence and everything about her she wanted to one day be able to tell him. Jack smiled and kissed her, his lips pressing softly against hers, and she shuddered into his body, wanting to feel every inch of him, but unable to be held long enough to make it last.

They finally broke away beneath the moonlight, and Kate closed her eyes, Jack's hand capturing her face. She leaned into his touch, something deep inside her begging quietly for him to never let go. When she opened her eyes, she kissed him quickly, then pulled away, the wind ruffling both their clothes and creating magic shadows dancing across their skin. Jack understood; he met her eyes briefly before turning away and disappearing into the jungle once more.

* * *

The shade of the caves combined with the cool water running down Jack's face seem to wash away every grain of sweat and sand threatening to bury him in the stress of simply staying alive from the past few days. He eased up onto the rocky edge of the waterfall basin, the small pool keeping the caves quiet and comforting with the sound of water spilling softly down the rocks. Setting his backpack down, he leaned against the wall of the cave, closing his eyes and letting the water drip down his face. As he relaxed, a sudden tendril of pain laced through the muscles of his neck, reminding him invariably of the effects of sleeping on the ground. He groaned, reaching back to rub his neck, but to no avail. Finally, he sighed as his muscles seem to be pressing into his skin in the same dull spot, and leaned his head back to let the exhaustion overcome him.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" A playful voice interrupted the numbness slowly sinking over his mind, and Jack opened one eye and glances toward the direction of the voice. He allowed a smile as Kate approached him, hands in her pockets and a teasing smile dancing across her features.

"What?" he said, as Kate drew near, and she climbed onto the rocks beside him. Jack held out a hand to help her up, and she accepted, though it was obvious she didn't need the assistance. She settled herself next to him, and she didn't drop his hand. "You looked like you were having some kind of epiphany or something," she said with a grin. "You had this look on your face…" she couldn't help giggling, and Jack had to grin.

"What can I say; maybe the island has healing powers or something." Jack smiled.

Kate's expression changed to one of worry. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Jack said, shaking his head, and involuntarily wincing.

Kate frowned. "Jack…"

He shook his head again. "It's nothing, really. I just slept funny, is all." The action sent another shot of pain twisting through his neck, and he reached up unconsciously.

Understanding dawned over Kate's face. "Turn around," she said, letting go of his hand. He looked up at her. "Kate, really, it's not—"

"Turn around."

Knowing there was no arguing with her with that tone of voice, Jack sighed and turned his back to her, and Kate scooted closer to him, bracing her legs on either side of the rocks. Jack tried to suppress a shiver, able to simply feel her so close, and instantly felt ridiculous, hoping she didn't notice. If she did, Kate said nothing, simply pressed her fingers to his neck and began to rub his aching muscles.

She felt Jack relax under her hands; his neck began to loosen, and strains of the island started to sink out of his neck. His neck was so stiff; she had to rub in small circles against the cords of his neck so the muscle would begin to unwind. She hadn't realized just how much tension he was carrying around underneath the outline of a hero he seemed to fit perfectly in.

"Better?" Kate said softly. Jack nodded quickly.

"Much," he said hoarsely. Her fingers encircled his neck, pressing the muscle upwards and into his spine, and he let a groan escape his lips. She smiled, her touch cool and easing into his skin.

Finally, she stopped rubbing his neck, letting her hands fall to his shoulders, and they sat quietly for a moment before Kate leaned toward him from behind and brushed her lips across his cheek, her arms sliding down to encircle him around the waist. Her heartbeat seemed to double, but she moved closer and leaned her head against her shoulder, her cheek pressed to the thin t-shirt, and to her relief, the heartbeat she felt against his body matched her own.

* * *

"_All right, my friends, it's time for....Survivor, the Plane Crash Edition, round 4!"_ Hurley grinned as the castaways clapped around the fire. It was post-evening boar, and they had taken to playing a version of a game that, in actuality, was incredibly unfunny, but for now, it was one of the few things keeping them from being at each other's throats, at least for some of the time.

Hurley took the poker where it lay next to the fire and held it up, pointing at each castaway in turn as he spoke in what he liked to call the Tribal Voice of Doom. _"Who will be the next to go? Will it be..." _Hurley

pointed to Walt, who laughed and made a face at Hurley. _"Walt, who keeps kicking my ass in backgammon..." _Michael grinned and pretended to pummel Walt.

Twirling the stick around for a moment, Hurley nearly poked Charlie's eye out when he pointed at him. Charlie tried to grab the stick, but Hurley yanked it out of his way. _"Charlie, who annoys the crap out of me with all the whining that guitar does..." _

Charlie's cry of, "We're making a _comeback_!" was lost in the laughter.

"_Or..."_ Hurley swirled the stick around every castaway's head before landing directly above Jack, Kate snuggled under his arm. _"The couple on the island with the biggest need for their own room to save everyone's eyes!"_

A blush spread up Kate's cheeks, and she couldn't help but grin as she looked up at Jack, who had a hand over his eyes and was fighting the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He looked down at her, his arm tucking her close to him, and he buried his head in her hair. There were hoots around the campfire, and Kate tried to suppress her own giggles, touching Jack's cheek gently as he gave her a look that said, _Get me out of here, please, before I sink through the floor_. Luckily, Hurley chose that moment to turn and hold the stick up like a flag, calling, "All right, survivors, who will it be?"

"I vote for the doctor," Sawyer called. He fixed a hardened smile on Kate. "He can leave the girl behind."

Kate felt Jack's arm around her tighten, and she glared at Sawyer, whose eyes were carefully focused beside her. She frowned and turned to see Jack's gaze fixed angrily on Sawyer, and she leaned in to whisper in Jack's ear, "Don't let him get to you. Just forget it." Her breath was warm on his skin, and she kissed his cheek before settling back down beside him.

"Walt!" Michael exclaimed, a grin on his face. "Get him out of my hair." Walt's mouth dropped. He turned and pounced on his father, who was knocked off the log he had been sitting in, and Vincent came over to stumble all over both of them. Kate laughed as Michael managed to emerge out from under a pile of dog and kid a few moments later, his cheeks flushed.

"_I cast my vote for...Charlie!"_ Hurley boomed, and began pretending to beat Charlie with the stick. Charlie dissolved in laughter and tried to get up, tripping over his own feet and stumbling around the fire, Hurley chasing after him with stick on tow. Claire giggled and called, "You get him, Hurley!"

Kate watched as they took off into the jungle, Charlie leaping over a tree branch in the path, and Jack yelled, "Don't go too far, guys, it's getting dark–guys?" He sighed in mock annoyance and started to stand. "I don't want them to get lost," he said to her. She nodded, and he cast a glance at Sawyer across the campfire before looking back down at her. "Go," she said firmly, and he hesitated for only another moment before jogging after them.

The sky was beginning to populate with tiny twinkles of stars, and Kate hugged her knees to her chest, resting her head on her knees and watching the flames' reflections dancing off the smiling faces of the castaways grouped around the fire. It was hard to believe they had only been here a few weeks, and they had managed to find this spirit, this comradery Jack worried himself sick about after the bumps of the first week or so - stabbings, fights between castaways, and the memory that, admittedly, stuck out in her mind, though not fondly, the kiss with Sawyer. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore that creeping feeling she got whenever she thought of him, a sweep of the danger he promised in those mischievous eyes glinting with a thousand things she hoped she never found out about him.

It took her a minute, lost in this thought, to realize he was actually sitting beside her.

"Hey there, Freckles," he said easily, that same grin on his face, the one that made her shiver with conflicting emotions ranging from unease to anticipation.

She sighed, hoping, as always, he would abide by the universal rules of annoyance - ignore it, and it will go away.

"Where's your hero run off to? Saving those two idiots' hides?" Sawyer ran a hand through his hair and cocked his head at her, the fire casting a glow in the shadows of his glittering eyes.

As always, he managed to break the rules.

"Maybe my vote did count, then," he said, leaning closer to her, and he was too close; she could feel the fire licking at her feet and his breath in her hair. Kate stood up and glared at him. "Leave me alone, Sawyer."

"Aw, come on, Freckles. Even you must know how to have a little fun." He stood up, too, and beside her he seemed to tower over her, the shadows of the trees creating an angle over her she could barely stand.

Kate crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze hard against his eyes, diamond-shaped and a fiery auburn in the fire's glow. "Do you want something, Sawyer?"

A grin, less playful and more carefully placed than she could remember, smirked across his features. "Well, I woulda thought that would've been obvious, Freckles."

She looked at him in disgust, trying desperately to keep from punching him right into the fire behind him. _Oh, maybe just once..._

Instead, she took a deep breath and turned on her foot, striding away from him.

"Freckles!" His voice was filled with mock hurt. She could hear his footsteps jogging behind her, and he caught her by the shoulder. She pulled away from his hand and continued toward the beach, ignoring him.

"_Kidding_, Freckles. Calm down." He whirled around in front of her, blocking her path. Kate set her jaw and looked at him incredulously. Couldn't he take a hint?

"You need to lighten up," he confided, and she rolled her eyes.

"I'll keep that in mind." The words were biting off her tongue. Sawyer paused for a moment, and his face changed - the expression lost the hint of unending annoyance he carried around at all times, the shine gone from his face.

"To answer your previous question, I would like something very much, as a matter of fact." He shoved his hands in his pockets, and fixed her with a look she found unrecognizable on his features. It almost ? She pushed the thought away as unfathomable immediately.

She waited. "Well? Are you going to spit it out, or do I have to guess?"

His face lit up. "Great idea, Freckles! You guess." He smiled, and the look she had been unable to place was gone, replaced with the usual mask of carelessness.

Kate sighed and pushed past him. The last thing she felt like doing was verbally sparring on the beach with Sawyer on the beach. He turned and followed her.

"Okay, so I'll just tell you, how about that?" No reply. Sawyer remained unfazed. "You see, the thing is, Freckles, the thing that I just can't get out of my head, the thing that keeps me awake many a night with worry - with your own well-being at heart, that is - is the question I have to ask myself, that somehow, I can't up with a single decent answer to. So, seeing as it concerns yourself, I figured you could have a go at it for me."

Kate reached the tent and knelt down to begin organizing her things. "And what, exactly, would this question be that seems to be troubling you so deeply?" she said through gritted teeth, taking off her shoes and setting them in the corner.

Sawyer grinned. "Knew you'd wise up, Freckles. It is indeed troubling."

"My heart bleeds."

"So, the question in question–" Sawyer paused for a moment to marvel at his own wit, "–which I'm sure you can shed some light on in all your wisdom as the sheriff around these parts, is..." he paused again for dramatic effect.

"Sawyer, you've got five seconds to give it up, or I'm going to–"

"Why _Jack_." After all that time, the question, it seemed, was not even a question. It was simply a fact, one that Sawyer had refused to swallow, until, perhaps, this moment, and the tone of his voice, one exhausted of anger, gave it away.

Kate had to admit, out of all the things Sawyer was, he was nothing if not one to keep you on your toes. She never would have imagined something so point-blank from him, about something both of them kept close, guarded, in their own ways.

"You really want to know?" she could hardly believe he would truly want any straight answer she gave him, if she could muster up wasn't the right word, though she couldn't think of another, to give him one, but then, she never would've thought he'd stopped being a jerk long enough to ask a serious question, let alone the one he posed now.

Sawyer exhaled loudly, as though it personally hurt him that he had to repeat himself. "Yes, Freckles, I really want to know. Happy now?"

She eased down into the sand, sitting cross-legged, and considered this. "No."

"Well, I can't exactly ask Jackers, he's got a history of violent behavior. So, you're it, Freckles," he muttered, sitting down beside her. She knew she should've told him to get out, but the words got lost somewhere in her swallow in attempt to find the words he knew better than to ask for, but she was obliged to give him out of respect, if nothing else.

"Jack..." Kate looked down at her hands in her lap, and sighed. "Jack will never be like you, Sawyer," she said softly. A glance toward him gave away nothing by his expression was unreadable, so she plunged ahead. "And not in a good way, or a bad way, it's just...the way things are. You're two completely different people." She stood up and began to pace the length of the tiny tent. "Jack makes me feel _safe_. He makes me feel like I don't have to worry about things I can't change. He always seems to know what's going on inside me, even when I don't." She gave a small chuckle. "Jack is..." She exhaled and scuffed her toe in the sand to avoid looking at Sawyer.

"Jack is home." She was surprised to hear the words coming out of her own mouth; that certainly wasn't what she had been expecting to come up with. She glanced at Sawyer. Had she been too honest? That had never been a problem before.

His voice was neutral, but it startled her all the same. "So what you're saying, Freckles, is that Jack is the one you can run to. Shelter and all that." He stood at the corner of the tent, and Kate had a sinking feeling he was struggling to keep the danger out of his tone. "He keeps you safe. Am I right?"

Kate looked out to the sea, waves softly crashing under the stars now full visible above the silhouettes of swaying palm leaves.

"Yes."

Sawyer nodded. "When you're with him, you don't have to deal with anything. Whatever shit is bothering about you about your past, about the whole damn world off this island, you don't have to confront it, or even acknowledge it."

Kate turned now to face him, but the look in his eyes was not one of danger - it was more careful, more calculating. What was he trying to do?

"Yes."

He nodded again. "So basically what you're saying, Freckles, is that Jack is a cop-out."

"What?" She couldn't believe it. Kate glared at him and dropped her arms. "I should've known. I can't believe I told you all that."

"Just call 'em like I see 'em," Sawyer replied.

"Get out of here, Sawyer." She closed her eyes, willing that when she opened them, he would have disappeared, along with his ridiculous conclusions.

He wasn't.

"Get _out_." She left no room for uncertainty in her voice. If he didn't leave now, he wasn't half as smart as she'd given him credit for.

When she next opened her eyes, he was gone, and the tent flap was blowing lightly in the evening breeze. Kate sunk to her knees on the sand, curling up against a bag Jack had left on one of his trips and she had always meant to give back to him. The wind was starting to pick up, and she could hear the rustle of the trees beside the tent, quiet whispers of the evening chill just beginning to set in. She considered going to

back to the campfire for a moment, but the thought of facing Sawyer again, that knowing smirk he wore as if he knew every one of her secrets (and she often thought he did), nixed that idea fairly quickly. Kate shivered and closed her eyes, begging for sleep to come.

Footsteps approaching her delayed sleep, however, and Kate made a face as she heard the footsteps right outside the tent. "Sawyer, for the last time–"

"Hey, hey, it's just me." The soft voice interrupting her made Kate open her eyes to see Jack slipping into the tent, folding back the flap and kneeling down beside her on the sand. She opened her mouth to apologize, then closed it again, the words caught in her throat. She swallowed hard. "Jack, I'm sorry, I thought–I thought you were..."

"Sawyer. Yeah, I figured." He smiled at her easily, and she returned it with a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Jack's outline was framed in the soft moonlight dipping in from outside, but even in the dark she could make out the concern on his features. He reached toward her and touched her face gently, his fingers brushing her cheek, and she looked up at him, trying to still the shiver that was treading up her spine.

"Are you okay?" he said softly. Kate gave a quick nod, knowing how unconvinced he was, how she herself was. Without another word, Jack rose and stepped over her, and she felt him lay down beside her from behind, placing his arm around her waist and holding her to him. He rested his cheek on her head, kissing her hair, and Kate shut her eyes, willing away the tears she felt rising in her throat. She simply held his arm around her tighter, as though she could help him keep her here, no matter how far she tried to run.

She felt him whisper against her name against her neck. "Kate," he said, in a voice she could barely keep from trembling at, and when she didn't answer, he plunged ahead.

"I know...I mean, I know you don't like to talk about it, but..." he sighed, frustrated for a moment at his lack of expression, and Kate watched the shimmer of the moonlight playing off the waves, dark mixing with light, then dark again, then the gleam of light between each swell. "Kate, please talk to me," he said quietly, a hint of pleading creeping into his voice. Kate turned in his arms to face him, and she reached up to cup his face with her hand, his eyes searching hers for an answer they both knew she couldn't give him. The last thing she wanted to do right now was talk, but damn it if this wasn't the night for heart-to-heart conversations. She hesitated for a moment, then leaned up and pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly. "It's nothing," she whispered against his lips. "It's just...it was just something Sawyer said earlier." His face tightened at the name, and she shook her head and kissed him again. "Don't," she said softly, and the plea had now found its way into her voice, as much as she hated revealing even that much. Jack examined her carefully for a moment, and she pulled him down toward her gently, their lips meeting lightly at first, then becoming more desperate, more urgent, her hands holding his face to hers, aching to be closer, when she felt Jack's hand on her waist, brushing the skin underneath her thin shirt. He pulled away for a second, breathless, and looked at her.

Kate hesitated only a moment, then leaned up and kissed him again, and again, and his hands were tangled in her hair, sliding down her body as she felt that familiar tremor rocket through her, only this time, it was not because of the trust she held back from Jack, from Sawyer, from any of them. It was something different, something fueled by feeling instead of too much thinking and being too careful, a thrill racing through her body at his hands under her shirt, the warmth of his body pressed to hers. The kisses grew shudderingly intense, until Kate found her hands trying to work the buttons on his shirt, fumbling to unhook them, and his mouth trailing kisses up her neck and tracing her jaw was really very distracting. She finally managed to slide the shirt off his shoulders, dropping it in the sand a few feet away, and his lips were following the line of her collarbone, alternating between kissing and biting just gently enough for her to feel it, and her breath hitched in her throat when he reached a spot at the dip of her shoulder, right beside a scar he had tended to not long ago. Jack pulled away and touched the scar briefly, his eyes fixed on Kate's.

Never looking away, she took his hand in hers and placed it on her waist, pulling her shirt over her head and abandoning it next to Jack's. He stared at her, his hand sliding up her stomach as if he could hardly believe she was real. He leaned down and began to kiss her stomach, his lips drawing circles on her bare skin. Kate arched her back, his breath warm on her skin, and his hands found the clasp of her bra, unhooking it as she pulled him up to meet her lips once more, and they rolled over as Kate lay on top of him, her hands gripping his biceps as they kissed.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Kate wondered how this was all going to end, but as Jack and the darkness and the soft wind enveloped her, she found she couldn't know, and didn't care in this moment.

* * *

"So..."

Jack turned his head to look at Kate sprawled across his chest, drawing circles on his skin. He smiled and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and kissing her fingertips. "Yes?" He threaded their fingers through each others, and she shifted against him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"I was just thinking..." A mischievous smile spread over her face. "You still haven't told me about your tattoos."

Jack laughed, his hand caressing her shoulder absentmindedly, and replied, "And I don't plan on it."

Kate returned his grin. "Aw, come on, Jack..." she kissed his shoulder. "I'll bet there's a really amusing story behind them."

"I'll bet there is," Jack said, smiling at her, his eyes dancing with the reflections of the sunlight peeking into the tent, the gentle crashing of the waves mirroring the lazy thudding of his heartbeat beneath their hands folded together atop his chest.

Kate smiled, the sunlight touching the corners of her mouth. "Will you at least tell me what the little Chinese symbols mean? Stop being all cryptic and–" he cut her off with his lips against hers in a deep kiss, and she complied immediately, sinking into the heat of his mouth pressed to hers and the sun warming their legs tangled in the sand where the edge of the tarp flapped open in the gentle breeze.

She broke the kiss after a few moments, whispering, "We should get up. The others...they'll be looking for us." A smile tugged at the corner of Jack's mouth. "They can look a little longer," he said, leaning down to kiss her again. Kate grinned against his lips and kissed him softly.

"Jack? Hey Jack, you awake?" A alarmingly close voice interrupted the serenity of the moment, and within moments the tent flap was being pulled back before any measures could be taken. The sunlight was almost blinding at first, when Kate was finally able to make out Charlie's features pulled into a shocked expression, staring at them. It suddenly occurred to Kate that all that was covering herself and Jack was a thin airline blanket. She forced a smile at Charlie, who managed to stumble out, "Eh, right. Whoops." He stared for a moment, when Jack finally cleared his throat, his arm sliding protectively around Kate, and said, "Did you need something, Charlie?"

"Eh...oh, yeah. Just thought you might want to get some breakfast. Locke cut the boar meat into little bacon-shaped things." Charlie pinched his fingers together to demonstrate. "And we were looking for Kate, too, but...we found her."

Kate felt a blush creeping her bare shoulders, flushing her cheeks, and Jack managed, "We'll be there in a minute, okay?"

Charlie nodded. "Right. I'll just–" he paused for a minute, then spun on his heel and quickly exited the tent.

The tent flap swayed for a moment, blocking Charlie's quickly retreating figure, and Kate turned back to face Jack. They were both silent for a moment, when she bit her lip and glanced up at him, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. She managed a grin, and they both started to laugh somewhat awkwardly. Kate buried her head in his shoulder, and he laughed into her hair, cupping her cheek as the breeze brushed through the tent.

The beach was milling about with castaways eating their share of daily boar, some relaxing in the sun and talking, lounging about on bag strewn across the sand or logs tossed by the fire, even though the day had already begun to dispense its bristling heat.

Jack and Kate approached somewhat warily; Kate was more nervous than she cared to admit - what if Charlie had told everyone? What if he hadn't - would they know just by looking at them? She studied her feet in the sand as they headed toward the groups of people around the beach, when she felt Jack take her hand and bring it to his lips, intertwining their fingers together. She glanced up at him and smiled, a bout of relief lessening the anxiousness flipping in her stomach. He returned her smile, and as they neared the campfire, she forced herself to concentrate on Jack's hand in hers instead of the whispers and looks she was sure surrounded her.

Locke looked up from the boar roasting on the fire and handed them each a few pieces. Kate tried to read the look on his face, but he was neutral as usual, and Jack thanked him, taking the food and leading Kate over to one of the logs a bit away from the larger group surrounding the fire.

Kate looked around as she and Jack ate in silence; no one seemed to be giving them any funny looks at all, whispering about them, or anything she could notice. Charlie was with Claire on the other side of the fire, grinning and saying something to her that made her start giggling, turning away from him and pretending to shoo him away. Sayid ate quietly by himself nearby, studying pieces of electronics and tugging at different-colored wires he was no doubt rigging into another contraption. She smiled briefly, letting her eyes drift over the beach, until they came to rest on the figure of Sawyer lounging under a tree, absorbed in _Watership Down_. The smile faded from her face, and she looked over at Jack, who was watching her quietly. She blinked at him. "What?"

He started, as if he hadn't realized his eyes were on her. "Nothing, I–I just zoned out for a minute." He laughed, and Kate hesitated for a moment before leaning in and kissing him firmly on the lips, her hand rising to hold his face to hers. She pulled away after a moment, and Jack looked a bit dazed. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could she kissed him again, her lips brushing across his, and she let herself fall into the feeling for just a moment before pulling back once more. Meeting his gaze, she said softly, "I'll be right back."

Sawyer didn't look up as she approached; it took her kneeling down in the sand beside him before he even acknowledged her, his eyes never leaving the pages of the book. "Well, well, well. What are you doing here, Freckles? Shacking up with Jack didn't seem to cut it?" He glanced up at her, a smile tinted with annoyance sliding across his features. Kate blinked a few times. "How did you..."

"C'mon, Freckles, you gotta give me more credit than that. Wasn't hard to figure out. The kid goes off looking for the hero and comes back all wide-eyed and flustered, and the two of you emerge from the Love Tent a few minutes later with that post-coital glow about ya." He grinned, and the glimmer of anger she had seen just below the smile of a few minutes ago was now perfectly clear, though she couldn't imagine he knew or he would've tried to hide it better.

"Look, Sawyer, about what you said last night, about Jack--"

Sawyer sighed. "Listen, Freckles, it ain't none of my business what you and Jack do behind closed doors, understand? Ain't my job to care, either. And I don't need any speech justifying whatever you and the hero have decided about your relationship, which, need I remind you, is again, not my job to care about. What I said..." he paused for a moment and ran a hand through his hair, staring down at the sand before looking at her abruptly.

"I was just trying to get your knickers in a twist, understand? I didn't mean...I didn't mean anything by it." Sawyer looked annoyed for a moment, opened his mouth to say more, then decided against it and picked up his book again, settling back with one arm under his head. "You need to lighten up, Freckles!" He began to read again, shutting her out completely.

Kate wasn't sure just what to say, but she finally looked down at the sand and said quietly, "Thank you."

"Don't get used to it," Sawyer said gruffly, lighting a cigarette and sticking it between his teeth. Kate rose and turned to walk back to Jack, who wasn't where she'd left him. She stopped and looked around for a moment, then spotted him next to Charlie and Claire, a smile on his face. She was almost reluctant to walk over, content simply to stand and watch his features light up easier than she remembered, taking a moment out of the chaos and the worry and the reality they were all stuck in to enjoy himself. He glanced up after a moment, however, and waved her over. She smiled at him and came over to where he was sitting on the sand in front of Charlie and Claire, who were finishing their breakfast. When she was near, Jack reached up and took her hand, pulling her down gently into his lap. She settled in his arms and leaned back against his chest, her head fitting under his chin. Claire grinned at her. "So, Charlie tells me he found you and Jack in a bit of a compromising position this morning..." Kate's mouth dropped and she stared at Charlie, who held his hands up in protest. "I didn't–I mean, I didn't give details or anything–like, where the clothes were in the tent since you were obviously not actually _wearing _them..."

Kate jumped up and pretended to pummel Charlie, who fell backwards off the log as Claire and Jack laughed in the background. Charlie tried to cover himself with his arms, blocking her mock blows to his head. "I–hey! I just–I–ahh!!" Kate grinned and pulled away, settling into Jack's lap once more. Jack wrapped his arms around her legs folded against him and held her tightly, leaning down to kiss her forehead as Charlie tried to right himself. He grinned at the both of them, and Claire glanced at Kate, smiling broadly. "So, every detail later, right?"

Kate grinned. "Of course."

"What?" Jack's expression was priceless. Kate laughed and touched his cheek gently, and Charlie prodded Claire's arm. "You'll tell me, won't you, love?"

Claire shook her head and laughed too, and Kate slipped her arm around Jack's waist, kissing his cheek softly. She leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes, and thought to herself that she was actually starting to get used to this.

* * *

Whew! I started writing this quite a bit ago, and it just would not _end_, lol! Feedback is muchly appreciated - it's the only way an author knows her work is being read! Thanks for reading :)


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